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Austerity (2015) Board Game

ByMichail

The Austerity board game was released in 2015 and is designed by Jake Staines. It falls under the economic and political category and is a solo/solitaire game, perfect for players looking for a challenging single-player experience.

Game Components of Austerity

Multiplayer Austerity

  • Game Board: Features a fast-track outer ring for bosses and a slow-progress inner ring for plebs.
  • Player Tokens: Boss and pleb tokens.
  • Money: Bosses start with $5,000, plebs with $57.
  • Properties: Modern equivalents like the Shard and global financiers.
  • Cards: Separate directions for each class.

    Solo Austerity

  • Game Sheet: A single A4 printed sheet.
  • Tokens: Red cubes (crime and unrest), black tokens (debt), yellow tokens (income), white tokens (welfare), blue tokens (security and policing).
  • Advanced Cards: Optional cards for additional challenges.
  • Scenarios: Economic crash, Olympics, War footing, organized crime.

    How To Setup Austerity

    Multiplayer Austerity

  • Divide players into bosses and plebs. Bosses start on the outer ring with $5,000, while plebs start on the inner ring with $57. Distribute tokens and cards accordingly.

    Solo Austerity

  • Print the A4 game sheet. Place the starting tokens on their respective tracks. Shuffle and draw tokens from the bag to begin the game. Set up the welfare state, national security, and private enterprise tracks.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

    Multiplayer Austerity

  • Objective: Highlight the disparities in economic systems by making it difficult for plebs to progress while bosses accumulate wealth.
  • Mechanics: Players roll dice and move around the board, following class-specific rules. Plebs face more hurdles and pay more when landing on boss-owned properties.

    Solo Austerity

  • Objective: Manage the nation’s finances to pay off debt and avoid economic failure.
  • Mechanics: Draw tokens, allocate resources, collect tax revenue, resolve advanced cards, and adjust national metrics like wealth, employment, health, and popularity.

    Player Experience

    Playing Austerity, whether the solo or multiplayer version, is a stark commentary on economic inequality. The multiplayer version is a humorous yet biting critique of how wealth disparities affect opportunities, while the solo game challenges players to make tough budget decisions to keep a nation afloat.

    Pros

  • Satirical Value: Effectively critiques modern capitalism and economic inequality.
  • Engaging Mechanics: The solo game offers a challenging and quick play experience, while the multiplayer version is a thought-provoking social commentary.
  • Customizable: The solo game has various scenarios and starting setups to mix up the gameplay.

    Cons

  • Limited Design Execution: Some critics note that the design execution could be improved.
  • Short Playtime: The solo game is relatively short, lasting only 10-20 minutes.

    Personal Thoughts on Austerity

    Austerity is for players who appreciate a dose of satire with their gaming experience. The multiplayer version is ideal for groups looking to spark conversations about economic inequality, while the solo game is perfect for those who enjoy quick, challenging economic management games. It’s a game that makes you think about the real-world implications of economic policies, making it a unique addition to any board game collection.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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